The invention relates to a surgical connecting element for fixing adjacently arranged bone plates, comprising a first bearing element, a second bearing element and a coupling element for coupling the first and second bearing element to each other in such a way that bone plates lying between the first and second bearing element are fixable.
In order to allow the surgeon access to the region on which the operation is to be performed, the patient's skullcap, for example in the case of craniosurgical interventions, is opened by removing a skullcap segment from the skullcap by means of craniotomy incisions with an incision gap being formed, in order thus to obtain access to the underlying brain. After the operation, the skullcap segment removed from the skullcap must be fitted into the skullcap again and fixed to the remaining skullcap.
DE 296 14 921 U1 discloses a surgical connecting element for fixing a skullcap segment removed from a skullcap to the remaining skullcap, in which the connecting element comprises a connecting shank which can be introduced into an incision gap between skullcap segment and remaining skullcap, a connecting head for overlapping the incision gap, and a bearing element which projects laterally from the connecting shank and can be laid against the skullcap segment and the remaining skullcap.
EP 0 787 466 discloses a device for fixing a piece of bone cut out of the skullcap, for the purpose of an operative intervention, in an exposed region on the remaining skull bone, in the case of which a centrally apertured disc as first and second bearing element can be pushed onto a shank as coupling element and one disc has cuts extending radially outwards. A tool is used to fix the disc to the shank. A threaded connection may also be employed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,477 discloses a device for securing a sternum in a closed position after opening. A corresponding fixing collar engages in a threaded rod.
The object of the invention is to design a surgical connecting element of the generic type in such a way that it can be employed in a simple and secure manner and produced cost-effectively, and in particular biocompatible and resorbable materials can be used.